The year 2020 is coming to an end. When I look back months back I see a long spell of darkness, silence, pain, and grief, all of which generated by the horror of Corona also called Covid-19.
I made a short trip to India in early March. Prior to my departure I decided not to take chances and carry a tiny stock of disinfecting sanitizers and masks. I visited local pharmacies and grocery stores to buy it but found none. These were clear signs that general public were fully aware what was to happen soon. At that time authorities were cautioning against the virus but they were not advising to wear masks until plane loads of the stuff arrived from China.
The news of Corona infection was slowly crossing the borders of America. As I landed in Delhi I learned that a tourist had celebrated his birthday party in a local five-star hotel, travelled to Jaipur and Jodhpur leaving behind a trail of infections. Hospitals in all these cities were scrambling to deal with cases. It was evident that the virus had attacked India. It was a matter of time when it would travel quickly around the world as no restrictions were enforced at airports except for usual security protocols. Soon international flights were being curtailed.
I decided to fly back to the safety of my home in New Jersey. On my way back I found passengers and the crew were totally unaware of using sanitizers, forget wearing masks. On arrival in USA I saw no precautions were taken at the airports. No questions were being asked by officials. Everything was being done to welcome the virus. It was horrifying to hear US officials advising the public not to wear masks since PPE materials were in short supply. This was unforgivable. Didn’t we know enough or were just being complacent?
The entry of the virus into the United States was hastened many other ways. United States flew its citizens from a cruise ship anchored in Japan and was found heavily infected. Infected people as well those not infected shared the same aircraft way home from Japan. Horrified I could watch the scenario unfolding-schools opting for remote learning, crowds of US citizens returning home from Europe jostling at Chicago and other airports, elder care centers unsure of how to handle Corona infected patients. I felt I was writing script of a drama that was unfolding before my eyes. News of infections originating from supermarkets soon found space in newspapers. Few airlines were still flying, as if in defiance.
US is the most advanced nation in the world. Taking precautions or not taking it became a political matter. How can you dictate an American against his will? And he was against doing childish things like covering his face with mask!
Searching for vaccines was a matter that government needed to take. US had the re-sources. The search hurriedly began. The White House took a stand-downplay the threat!
Meanwhile, in May 2020, a black man called Floyd was suffocated to death by a policeman in Minneapolis. The incident unleashed nationwide protests and street demonstrations. “I can’t breathe…” symbolized the agony of the suppressed and ‘Black Lives Matter’ was the new progressive mantra. Protests and demonstrations, violent or not, turned into vehicles for the virus.
Days and months passed by. News and videos of hospitals overwhelmed by Corona infected patients were a common sight on television screen. Infected elderly citizens who lived in Elder Care Homes around the country were dying in droves. Nurses and doctors looking after patients, hospital workers, grocery store employees, meat packing plant workers, teachers and students-were among the vulnerable groups. In New Jersey, government departments were shut down. Most people were working from home. Courts were meeting virtually.
USA conducted the Presidential elections and American elected Democratic candidates Joe Biden as the next President and Kamala Harris as Vice President. But America was yet to see a smooth transition of power. The year is coming to an end and I find no words to explain the actions of sitting President Trump. He has pardoned his associates who were convicted for serious crimes. Trump sacked numerous officials during his tenure. America just watched in awe. His actions were twisting and turning the US Constitution but none could do anything. I realized the enormous power and legal immunity of the American President firsthand.The year 2020 presented a number of grim realities about America. That everything is not perfect in the USA. We must accept certain things as they are: Protection against dis-crimination, equality and justice are not to be taken for granted. One must not depend upon the government for help, even during the emergencies. US laws and the government can’t support the poor, the homeless and the unemployed, even during the emergencies. While the US can’t provide food for everyone the system allows the rich getting richer even when majority of people suffer from pandemic.
COVID-19 has posed so many questions for all Americans-our options for survival are limited. The vaccines are not the final solutions. We are part of a system that doesn’t work as it should all the times.
Let us hope for the better in 2021.
(Ashok Ojha is a senior journalist and a passionate promoter of Hindi abroad)